Moana (voiced by Auli’i Cravalho in her screen debut) was born to greatness. Beloved by all, she will be her people’s next chief. She returns their affection and promised to become an excellent leader.
Still, she has a secret love: the ocean.
More than anything, she wants to take a boat and explore the vast expanses of water that surround her island.
But the ocean is forbidden. Not even fishermen are allowed beyond the protective coral reef that surrounds the island. Moana’s father dismisses wanderlust as the musings of a child. However Gramma Tala (Rachel House: Soul Mates) knows that Moana’s destiny lies in the sea. She tells Moana about the gods and the history of her people, who were great wayfinders, traveling across the ocean to discover new islands. Seeing the spirit of adventure reborn in her granddaughter, Gramma Tala believes her chosen by the water to restore the Heart of the Ocean, a sacred stone stolen by trickster demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson: Ballers).
When the fish dry up and the island suffers, Moana sees it as a sign her Gramma was right. To return the sacred stone before her people die, she takes a small boat and her favorite pet chickento cross the reef in search of Maui and the true Heart of the Ocean.
Spellbindingly beautiful and a lot of fun, Moana is the latest Disney princess movie to break the mold, offering little girls a get-it-done role model. Funny, smart and a hard worker, Moana is determined to save her people. You’ll find no love interest here; this film is all about a girl embracing her role as a leader.
The film also features music from Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who has a knack for clever lyrics and tailors each song to fit its singer. So you’ll be tapping your toes while watching this adventure.
As Moana, Cravalho is a great discovery. She infuses the character with spunk, humor and kindness. The vocal star of the movie, however, is Johnson, who fills Maui with such charm and bombast that moviegoers in my screening cheered each time he arrived on screen. Johnson has long been able to command the screen, and this power transfers into animation. He is the closest Disney has come since Aladdin’s Genie to marry the public image of an actor with the character he voices.
Gorgeous songs, great voice acting and a good story all contribute, but none so much as the film’s images. With beautifully rendered scenes on islands and the ocean, several animation styles and the reference point of Polynesian culture, the animators create a fascinating world.
If you’ve got kids, Moana is probably on your calendar. But you don’t need kids to see this movie; it’s a fantastic step for Disney animation in both storytelling and visuals. Stay through the credits for a stinger hilarious to older viewers.